1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a time measurement apparatus and a time measurement system having a reception or transmission function and, more particularly, to a time measurement apparatus and a time measurement system capable of e.g., performing time measurement such as measurement of the moving time of each of a plurality of moving objects, and determining the arriving order of each moving object.
2. Description of the Related Art
Time measurement apparatuses have been used for various types of time measurement. For example, in a short- or middle-distance race, in which the number of runners is relatively small, or in a marathon race, in which a large number of runners participate, the time measurement apparatuses are used to measure the total running time of each runner from a start line to a finish line and the split time of each runner in each predetermined interval. The apparatuses are also used to measure the time required for a target object (to be checked) or a moving object such as a vehicle to move through a predetermined interval.
Conventional time measurement apparatuses used in running races operate in the following manner. In a short- or middle-distance race, in which the number of runners is relatively small, in order to measure the total running time of each runner from a start line to a finish line and determine the arriving order of each runner, for example, the runners themselves or a relatively small number of judges selected by the sponsor of the competition start a time measurement operation of the time measurement apparatuses by operating the start switches at the start line, and stop the operation by operating the stop switches at the finish line. However, in a marathon race, in which a large number of runners participate, it is very difficult to measure the total running time of each runner or the split time in each predetermined interval, or to determine the arriving order of each runner. Especially when a group of a large number of runners reach the finish line, it is difficult to measure the total running time of each runner or the split time of each runner, or to determine the arriving order of each runner with high accuracy. For this reason, in recent marathon races, in which a large number of runners participate, a video camera or a bar code reader are used to read racing numbers, bar codes, or the like, attached to the respective runners in advance, at the finish line or a predetermined point, thereby measuring the total running time of each runner or the split time of each runner, or determining the arriving order of each runner.
However, in the method of using a video camera or a bar code reader to perform a reading operation so as to measure the total running time or split time of each runner or determine the arriving order of each runner, racing numbers or bar codes attached to runners who are running must be accurately read by using a video camera or a bar code reader. For this purpose, an expensive, high-precision reader unit is required.
In addition, runners themselves want to know their split times, arriving orders, and the like in each predetermined interval during or after the race. It is, however, difficult for each runner to know the total time, the split time in each predetermined interval, and the arriving order during or after the race by using the conventional time measurement apparatus.